Thousands attend Independence Day celebration in Clarksville

Fireworks light up the skies during the seventh annual city of Clarksville Independence Day celebration Thursday at Liberty Park.(Photo: ROBERT SMITH/THE LEAF-CHRONICLE, ROBERT SMITH/THE LEAF-CHRONICLE)Buy Photo

CLARKSVILLE Tenn. – Thousands of people came out to celebrate the Fourth of July a day early during the seventh annual City of Clarksville Independence Day celebration.

People stretched out on blankets, sat in lawn chairs and filled the area around the Great Lawn to listen to the sounds of Eight O’Five Jive and Cover Down, a part of the 101st Airborne Division Band, while waiting for the fireworks to begin.

The weather was one of the main topic on attendees minds, specifically how this year’s is so much better than previous years. Last year, the celebration endured threatening storms; in 2012, it was incredibly humid.

In the hours leading up to the night’s main event, children played football and ran around in front of the main stage while older revelers danced to the music.

Johna Lee Burk spent the time a little differently. Instead of two-stepping, she sketched pictures of the stage and the people surrounding her. “I’m taking an online course,” she xplained, “and part of what they teach you is how to urban sketch.”

Urban sketching involves drawing everything that happens when one is in a crowded environment. With a huge crowd in attendance, Burk had plenty of inspiration to work with, utilizing several colored pencils, a pen and a sketch pad.

“I’m just enjoying the music and sketching,” she said.

This year’s fireworks were launched from a new location on River Road, which had previously been used as a trailer park. Last year, they were fired from directly across the Cumberland River near The Catfish House.

Clarksville City Mayor Kim McMillan was also in attendance. “I think it’s fantastic,” she said. “I think this is what Clarksville is about. It’s exciting to see so many people coming out to have fun and enjoy each other and be able to watch a wonderful fireworks show.”